Doing the Project and Learning the Content: Designing Project-Based Science Curricula for Meaningful Understanding

Autor/in	Kanter, David E.
Titel	Doing the Project and Learning the Content: Designing Project-Based Science Curricula for Meaningful Understanding
Quelle	In: Science Education, 94 (2010) 3, S.525-551 (27 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0036-8326
Schlagwörter	Curriculum Design; Program Effectiveness; Science Education; Curriculum Development; Student Projects; Science Curriculum; Scientific Concepts; Middle School Students; Secondary School Science; Pretests Posttests + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Lehrplangestaltung; Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; Curriculum; Development; Curriculumentwicklung; Lehrplan; Entwicklung; Schulprojekt; Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin
Abstract	Project-based science curricula can improve students' usable or meaningful understanding of the science content underlying a project. However, such curricula designed around "performances" wherein students design or make something do not always do this. We researched ways to design performance project-based science curricula (pPBSc) to better support the meaningful understanding of science content. Using existing curriculum design frameworks, we identified the learner's need to "create the demand" for the science content, anticipating how to use it in the performance, and to "apply" the science content, both being necessary to ensure meaningful understanding. Designing the pPBSc "I, Bio" we discovered how these guiding principles manifested as curriculum design challenges. We generalized from the design of "I, Bio" and related literature design approaches for addressing each challenge. Finally, we measured the extent to which a pPBSc incorporating these design approaches developed meaningful understanding. 652 middle grades students using "I, Bio" completed pre- and posttests on the science content behind the "I, Bio" performance. Our findings provide preliminary evidence that a pPBSc that incorporates these design approaches is consistent with gains in meaningful understanding. We discuss how the results of this work can be used to improve systematic experiments on instructional supports. (Contains 3 figures and 5 tables.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10